Gunpoint A Microfic
by AndyTGD
Summary: After discovering that Cameron has been hoarding T-888 components for self-repair, Sarah decides to solve the problem of trust once and for all by terminating the Terminator. Best described as Jameron/Jameron-lite. Microfic challenge.


Just knocked this up quickly for a microfic challenge at the Terminator Wiki. Might as well add it to the collection. I take no credit for the brief whatsoever, all credit goes to thecrusadingknight. If you have a moment, I urge you to check the other entries. :)

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The brief:

Remember in Today is the Day, Sarah said that she was going to shoot Cameron with Derek's sniper rifle. Well what if she tries?

So here's the premise: John comes home after the conversation with Derek, after learning without a shadow of a doubt that Cameron didn't kill Riley.

Cameron's out in the front yard, John comes home and sees his mother take aim with that sniper rifle, right at Cameron. What happens?

Two post limit.

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**Gunpoint**

It was dark and stormy by the time her target had arrived. _Good_, Sarah noted, the thunder would disguise the shot. She peered down the sight of the bulky sniper rifle towards front yard. She had positioned herself in one of the upstairs rooms for a wide, clear field of fire. Cameron abruptly stopped and looked in her direction. She quickly identified Sarah and her weapon. It was a particularly obvious location for an ambush. _Her emotional state has impaired her judgement_, she thought. She re-routed additional power to her servos in preparation for evasive action. Suddenly, Sarah's plans for Cameron were complicated by the arrival of John and Derek in the jeep.

John watched Cameron from the car, as it pulled into the drive. It quickly dawned on him that someone inside the house was taking aim. After the past 24 hours, that person could only be his mother. The same thought had occurred to Derek.

"I believe Sarah is taking aim at me with an M-82 Barrett .50 calibre sniper rifle." She didn't turn her head to speak, instead continuing to focus on the window.

Sarah steadied herself and aimed, "I'm sorry, John! This is our only chance to put it down. Some day you'll understand why I did this."

"Mom! Mom no!"

It was too late, she had pulled the trigger. Cameron attempted to throw herself clear of the shot. The Mk.211 Raufoss round smashed into her shoulder; it exploded sending pieces of shrapnel and charred flesh in all directions. Her entire body recoiled backwards and she collapsed like a rag doll. Cameron lay on her back, attempting to pick herself up. She concluded that the damage was serious, but not critical. Sarah saw that she had missed and took aim again; this time in the centre of the machine's skull. As she began to squeeze the trigger, John flung himself on top of Cameron's damaged body. _Damn it!_ she whispered to herself.

"Wait! Don't kill her!"

"It, John. It!" She shouted back, over the crash of the thunder. Suddenly, he recalled himself as a boy, standing between his mother and the T-800 chip she had so wanted to destroy.

"She is not an 'it', Mom! Her name is Cameron and she is the only friend I have left now that Riley is dead!"

"It killed her, John and sooner or later it'll try to kill you again. I don't know if I'll be able to stop it."

"She didn't kill Riley. You have to trust me. She is here to protect me; to protect all of us!"

"No, she is a liability. I'm protecting you."

"I don't need protecting, Mom. Look what you're doing to me. You're pushing me away; if you kill her, I'll never forgive you. _Ever_. She means a lot to me." The gravity of what she had almost done suddenly struck her. She buried her head in her hands and wept. More for the sake of her son, than the machine which he would probably have died protecting.

John turned and the inquisitive brown eyes met his. "Did you mean that? I.. mean a lot to you?"

"Yes, I suppose I do. I don't know why, but I do."

"Why John? Your mother is right, I will probably malfunction again."

"If that happens we'll deal with it. I'm not going to have you destroyed based on hypothetical arguments."

Their faces were inches apart, "John.. I never want to harm you. You.. mean a lot to me too." He could feel his throat getting dry, as her hair brushed against his cheek.

"As a mission priority?"

"No. This goes beyond mission protocols. When I understand more it more fully, I will report my findings."

He smiled with relief. Same old Cameron.


End file.
